University of Chicago Press: New Titles in Anthropology: General Anthropologyhttp://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/rss/books/su2_2RSS.xml
The latest new books in Anthropology: General Anthropologyen-usSat, 01 Aug 2015 05:00:00 GMT1440Modes of Uncertaintyhttp://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/M/bo20145548.html
Modes of Uncertainty offers groundbreaking ways of thinking about danger, risk, and uncertainty from an analytical and anthropological perspective. Our world, the contributors show, is increasingly populated by forms, practices, and events whose uncertainty cannot be reduced to risk—and thus it is vital to distinguish between the two. Drawing the lines between them, they argue that the study of uncertainty should not focus solely on the appearance of new risks and dangers—which no doubt abound—but also on how uncertainty itself should be defined, and what the implications might be for policy and government. Organizing contributions from various anthropological subfields—including economics, business, security, humanitarianism, health, and environment—Limor Samimian-Darash and Paul Rabinow offer new tools with which to consider uncertainty, its management, and the differing modes of subjectivity appropriate to it. Taking up policies and experiences as objects of research and analysis, the essays here seek a rigorous inquiry into a sound conceptualization of uncertainty in order to better confront contemporary problems. Ultimately, they open the way for a participatory anthropology that asks crucial questions about our contemporary state. <div><i>Modes of Uncertainty </i>offers groundbreaking ways of thinking about danger, risk, and uncertainty from an analytical and anthropological perspective. Our world, the contributors show, is increasingly populated by forms, practices, and events whose uncertainty cannot be reduced to risk—and thus it is vital to distinguish between the two. Drawing the lines between them, they argue that the study of uncertainty should not focus solely on the appearance of new risks and dangers—which no doubt abound—but also on how uncertainty itself should be defined, and what the implications might be for policy and government.<br> <br> Organizing contributions from various anthropological subfields—including economics, business, security, humanitarianism, health, and environment—Limor Samimian-Darash and Paul Rabinow offer new tools with which to consider uncertainty, its management, and the differing modes of subjectivity appropriate to it. Taking up policies and experiences as objects of research and analysis, the essays here seek a rigorous inquiry into a sound conceptualization of uncertainty in order to better confront contemporary problems. Ultimately, they open the way for a participatory anthropology that asks crucial questions about our contemporary state. <br></div>Anthropology: Cultural and Social AnthropologyAnthropology: General AnthropologySociology: General SociologyThu, 16 Jul 2015 05:00:00 GMTLimor Samimian-Darash; Paul Rabinow9780226257105Forensics of Capitalhttp://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo19108849.html
As one of Africa’s few democracies, Senegal has long been thought of as a leader of moral, political, and economic development on the continent. We tend to assume that any such nation has achieved favorable international standing due to its own merits. In Forensics of Capital, Michael Ralph upends this kind of conventional thinking, showing how Senegal’s diplomatic standing was strategically forged in the colonial and postcolonial eras at key periods of its history and is today entirely contingent on the consensus of wealthy and influential nations and international lending agencies. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ralph examines Senegal’s crucial and pragmatic decisions related to its development and how they garnered international favor, decisions such as its opposition to Soviet involvement in African liberation—despite itself being a socialist state—or its support for the US-led war on terror—despite its population being predominately Muslim. He shows how such actions have given Senegal an inflated political and economic position and status as a highly credit-worthy nation even as its domestic economy has faltered. Exploring these and many other aspects of Senegal’s political economy and its interface with the international community, Ralph demonstrates that the international reputation of any nation—not just Senegal—is based on deep structural biases.&nbsp;<div>As one of Africa&rsquo;s few democracies, Senegal has long been thought of as a leader of moral, political, and economic development on the continent. We tend to assume that any such nation has achieved favorable international standing due to its own merits. In <i>Forensics of Capital</i>, Michael Ralph upends this kind of conventional thinking, showing how Senegal&rsquo;s diplomatic standing was strategically forged in the colonial and postcolonial eras at key periods of its history and is today entirely contingent on the consensus of wealthy and influential nations and international lending agencies.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Ralph examines Senegal&rsquo;s crucial and pragmatic decisions related to its development and how they garnered international favor, decisions such as its opposition to Soviet involvement in African liberation&mdash;despite itself being a socialist state&mdash;or its support for the US-led war on terror&mdash;despite its population being predominately Muslim. He shows how such actions have given Senegal an inflated political and economic position and status as a highly credit-worthy nation even as its domestic economy has faltered. Exploring these and many other aspects of Senegal&rsquo;s political economy and its interface with the international community, Ralph demonstrates that the international reputation of any nation&mdash;not just Senegal&mdash;is based on deep structural biases.&nbsp;</div>African StudiesAnthropology: Cultural and Social AnthropologyAnthropology: General AnthropologyWed, 08 Jul 2015 05:00:00 GMTMichael Ralph9780226198439Anthropology and Developmenthttp://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/A/bo20701346.html
Western aid is in decline. New forms of aid, from within the developing countries themselves and elsewhere, are in the ascent, and a new set of global economic and political processes are shaping development in the twenty-first century. Katy Gardner and David Lewis have completely rewritten and updated their earlier, influential work, bringing it up to the present day. They engage with nearly two decades of continuity and change in the development industry, arguing in particular that while international development has expanded since the 1990s, it has become more rigidly technocratic. Anthropology & Development will serve as a reformulation of the field and as an excellent textbook for both graduate and undergraduates alike.<div>Western aid is in decline. New forms of aid, from within the developing countries themselves and elsewhere, are in the ascent, and a new set of global economic and political processes are shaping development in the twenty-first century. Katy Gardner and David Lewis have completely rewritten and updated their earlier, influential work, bringing it up to the present day. They engage with nearly two decades of continuity and change in the development industry, arguing in particular that while international development has expanded since the 1990s, it has become more rigidly technocratic. <i>Anthropology &amp; Development </i>will serve as a reformulation of the field and as an excellent textbook for both graduate and undergraduates alike.</div>Anthropology: General AnthropologyMon, 15 Jun 2015 05:00:00 GMTKaty Gardner; David Lewis9780745333656